Education/Politics/Policymakng

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This course is designed to acquaint students with the central issues in educational politics in the United States and the dynamics and effects of educational policies. We will be exploring the organization of elementary and secondary education, the nature of the interest groups and constituencies in education, the major current approaches to education reform and the effects of those reforms on students, teachers and other stakeholders. The course is lecture based, but will involve both student presentations and collaborative projects, as well. We will begin with an overview of the structure and financing of public education and then proceed through the following topics: nature of policy analysis, linkages between education and life outcomes; determinants of educational achievement and attainment; educational governance, including elections, mayoral control, vouchers and charters; labor and personnel issues; the standards and accountability movement; No Child Left Behind and the federal role.